Sandwich arrest stirs debate over eating in stores

HONOLULU (AP) — It happens daily in supermarket and convenience stores nationwide, digging into a bag of chips while waiting in line, sampling a couple of grapes, opening a bottle of milk to appease a crying child.A pregnant Honolulu woman was arrested last week and had her 2-year-old daughter taken away by Child Welfare Services after eating a sandwich in a Safeway store and forgetting to pay in an incident that has sparked a national debate.Is it OK to eat in stores before paying?Many say it's wrong, but consumer behavior experts say eating before paying has become part of supermarket culture.A spokeswoman says Safeway has no policy prohibiting consuming merchandise in the stores but customers are expected to pay before leaving.